By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Wrestling Open “Episode 171”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
April 10, 2025 in Worcester, Massachusetts at Electric Haze
Paul Crockett provided solo commentary; his volume was a bit low tonight and it was sometimes hard to hear him over the action in the ring. Agan, this new location is a bit smaller and a bit darker than their old location. Attendance is maybe 200-250.
1. “Big Business” Love, Doug and Brad Hollister (w/TJ Crawford) vs. DJ Powers and Giorgio Lawrence. They took turns playing to the crowd, and of course, the heels eventually attacked BB from behind. Doug grounded Powers and hit a shoulder tackle at 2:30, then a dropkick on Lawrence. Hollister entered and hit a bodyslam on DJ at 4:00, then some loud chops. Doug hit a German Suplex on Lawrence. The heels began working over Doug in their corner. Lawrence hit his roundhouse kicks to the chest. DJ hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 9:00. The crowd loudly chanted, “We love Doug!”
Doug hit a springboard back elbow and made the hot tag to Hollister at 10:30, and Brad hit a series of clotheslines, then a spear on DJ and a pop-up powerbomb on Lawrence, and he was fired up! Brad hit a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall. DJ threw Brad into the ropes and Brad hit his throat against them. The babyfaces took turns hitting jab punches on Powers. The heels accused TJ Crawford of tripping them, but TJ didn’t! Brad leaned over and yelled at Crawford, but it allowed Powers to grab Hollister, roll him up, and score the pin! Crawford was innocent, but this will create more internal strife in Big Business!
DJ Powers and Giorgio Lawrence defeated Brad Hollister and Love, Doug at 13:03.
* Sammy Diaz has a mystery opponent in a “Pick Your Poison” match. Hammer Tunis came out and unveiled his selection… Rex Lawless!
2. Sammy Diaz vs. Rex Lawless. Sammy hit some chops on the bigger Lawless, and he tried a plancha to the floor, but Rex caught him and slammed Sammy on the apron. No sign of Rex’s teammate RJ Rude tonight. In the ring, Rex hit a fallaway slam for a nearfall at 1:30, then a side slam and a hard clothesline. He hit some running boots in the corner and was in control. Diaz hit a flying stunner off the ropes, then a frog splash, for the pin! Rex dominated that one until the end.
Sammy Diaz defeated Rex Lawless at 6:30. This was a beat-the-clock challenge, so Hammer must win his match in less than 6:30.
3. “Brick City” Victor Chase and Julio Cruz vs. Brett Mettro and Jay Tunis. Brett and Victor opened. Tunis (yes, it is Hammer’s younger brother) wears light-up glasses and his whole look makes me think of El Phantasmo. BC worked over Jay Tunis. The rooks worked over Julio. Victor got a hot tag at 5:30 and he slammed Tunis. He hit a powerslam and a senton on Mettro. Brick City hit the “Business is Booming” team powerslam and Victor pinned Mettro. Pretty basic but acceptable. The main point of this match was the crowd has embraced Victor (who has turned babyface with Doug and Brad Hollister) while Cruz was still clearly showing heelish tendencies.
Victor Chase and Julio Cruz defeated Brett Mettro and Jay Tunis at 6:32.
4. Milo Mirra vs. Angel Jacquez. Jacquez made his Wrestling Open debut at Episode 164 in February; he has a good physique and was arrogant. Milo uses his Pogo Stick to bounce his way to the ring; there isn’t too much else to his gimmick. They tied up and Angel shoved him to the mat. He snapped Milo’s throat on the top rope at 2:00 and celebrated, and he jawed at the fans. Mirra hit a clothesline and a dropkick at 4:30, then a running back elbow into the corner. He hit a forward Finlay Roll, then a second-rope Phoenix Splash for the pin. Adequate. He never got to use the Pogo Stick!
Milo Mirra defeated Angel Jacquez at 4:57.
* It is now time to find out who Sammy Diaz has picked to face Hammer Tunis! The ring announcer Lauren St. James inaccurately said the time to beat was 6:03… it’s 6:30! That’s a big difference! Crockett quickly noted it is indeed 6:30 he must win by. Sammy came out and said he picks… himself! He charged into the ring and we’re underway!
5. Hammer Tunis vs. Sammy Diaz. They immediately brawled. Crockett was surprised but said it was legal for Sammy to pick himself, and if he survives the 6:30, he can pick the stipulation of their next match. Sammy hit a superkick; he went for a dive at 2:30 but Tunis cut him off with a forearm strike. Sammy hit a snap suplex onto the wood floor! They kept fighting and the ref ruled this was a double count-out! And, as a result, Sammy will get to pick the stipulation for the next match.
Hammer Tunis vs. Sammy Diaz went to a double count-out at 3:17.
* Sammy said the stipulation is that the Stetson Ranch is barred from ringside, AND, if Hammer loses, he can never wrestle at Wrestling Open ever again! (I just watched a different indy show where the commentators said Hammer Tunis is on a retirement tour and I hadn’t heard that before; yes, I think I’m giving away the outcome of the match.)
6. Brad Baylor vs. Channing Thomas. Of course, Baylor was in Florida for NXT on live TV on Tuesday, and he wore his Wrestling Open tag title belt. No sign of Ricky Smokes. It still feels weird to see Channing get the babyface treatment here because he’s such a great heel. An intense lockup to open. Channing hit a knee drop on Brad, and he dropped him with a shoulder tackle at 2:00, then a wind-up bodyslam, and he was in charge early on. Brad bit Channing’s hand and dropped him throat-first on the middle rope at 4:30, and that allowed him to take control.
Baylor stomped on Channing in the corner and swiveled his hips, drawing a lot of boos! Channing hit a dropkick at 7:30. Baylor hit an X-Factor for a nearfall. Channing hit a belly-to-belly suplex. Channing hit a diving forearm as the 10:00 call was spot-on. Channing hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. Brad got a backslide with his feet on the ropes for added leverage to get the cheap pin. Good action.
Brad Baylor defeated Channing Thomas at 11:47.
7. Marcus Mathers vs. TJ Crawford for the IWTV Title. TJ came out first and was loudly booed. WWE ID prospect Mathers still hasn’t appeared on Evolve, which genuinely surprises me. Crockett said this is title defense No. 8 since he won the belt Dec. 31. (Mathers already has competed in more than 30 matches already this year!) They immediately worked over each other’s left arm and traded standing switches. Mathers hit a bodyslam at 3:00 and a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall. TJ hit a Flatliner into the middle turnbuckle and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 5:30. TJ hit a side slam for a nearfall.
They traded forearm strikes and TJ hit a neckbreaker move for a nearfall at 7:30. He hit a spin kick to the gut. Mathers hit a top-rope crossbody block and they were both down at 9:00. Marcus hit some clotheslines and a stunner off the ropes, then his own Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. TJ hit a doublestomp to the chest and a running Penalty Kick for a nearfall, then he nailed the Styles Bomb for a nearfall at 11:00. TJ snapped Marcus’ left knee and he applied a half-crab, and Mathers writhed in pain on the mat. Marcus hit a kip-up stunner. TJ hit his own springboard stunner, so Mathers hit another springboard stunner.
Mathers went for a 450 Splash but TJ got his knees up, and Crawford flipped Mathers into the corner. He nailed the Silver Bullet spin kick to the head for a believable nearfall at 13:00, and TJ was shocked he didn’t win there. Marcus accidentally struck the ref, and the ref went down! TJ immediately dropped Marcus with a kick to the jaw! TJ got the title belt, but he was clearly torn on what to do. He set the belt down and instead helped the ref up! Mathers hit his Canadian Destroyer and a fisherman’s brainbuster, then the top-rope 450 Splash for the pin. That was very good and we got a “both these guys!” chant.
Marcus Mathers defeated TJ Crawford to retain the IWTV Heavyweight Title at 15:52.
* The rest of Big Business hit the ring and applauded TJ. Crawford walked over and shook Mathers’ hand and they hugged as we went off the air. (I really saw a scenario there where TJ and Julio turn on Hollister, Doug and Victor Chase… but not today!)
Final Thoughts: A very good main event, and it was intriguing to see TJ have the opportunity to cheat to win the title but ultimately did “the right thing,” and it may have cost him winning the belt. Mathers is so polished, and he’s trimmed down and just looks ready to be a part of Evolve and NXT. Channing-Baylor was good for second, and the opener takes third. No real complaints here, except we were missing a good women’s match.
We are now two weeks into this grand experiment of having Wrestling Open shows on Mondays in Rhode Island and Thursdays in Massachusetts, and so far, it is going great… there is enough talent in the area that more shows is simply giving more opportunities to those in the area. (I counted five guys who wrestled on both shows this week, which is an acceptable number.) And it also means a spot for a newcomer like Angel, who looked good but might not have found a spot on this show if there weren’t also shows in Rhode Island.
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